Ice-harvesting machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. L. SMYTH.

10E HARVESTING MACHINE.

N0. 391,205. Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. L. SMYTH.

10E HARVESTING MACHINE. No. 391,205.

Patented Oct. 16. 1888 %tnesses zasm'zl,

N. FEIERS. Phalbhlhognphor, Wnhlllglllfl. D. C.

UNTTED STATES 'WILLIAM L. SMYTH, OF VAN VVIES, NEW YORK.

lCE-HARVESTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,205, dated October16, 1888.

Serial No. 158,067. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. SMY'IH, a resident of Van \Vies, in thecounty of Al bany and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Ice- Harvesting Machines; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in ice-harvesting machines; and itconsists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

The objects of the invention are made to appear in connection withthe'following description.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevation of my improved machine.Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectivelyfront and rear elevations of the S'KUDC.

-My improved machine consists, essentially, of acircularsawsupported byasuitable frame and connected by intermediate gear-wheels and piuionswith one or more drive-wheels which actuate the saw, whereby grooves andcross-grooves can be easily and quickly cut in an ice field desired tobe harvested, thereby facilitating the breaking up of the field oficeinto cakes or pieces suitable for storage in ice houses.

A is a rectangular frame, upon which are bolted two pairs of uprights,Aone pair on each side. These uprights serve as guideways for theslide-boxes A vertically reciprocatory therein.Theslide-boxesreceivetheendbearings ofthc axle, upon which the tractiondrive wheels \V are fixed. The slide-boxes are also provided on theirupper side with an eyebolt, A, to which the link Ais pivoted at itslower end, the upper end of the link being pivoted to the component partA of a compound operatinglever. The part A is fulcrumcd at one end toone of the uprights at A, and the other end of the part is pivoted tothe link A which adjustably connects it with the other component part Aof the compound lever, the link having adjusting holes A". The componentpart A is fixed upon the shaft A rotary in boxes 1 supported by theuprights A mounted upon the frame A. The shaft is pro vided with anoperating-hant'lle, A, fixed thereon. The handle is provided with adetaininghook, A, pivoted thereon and adapted to hook onto the cross-barA of the main frame. The main frame is also provided on each side withtwo supporting-runners, A", adapted to support the whole machine duringtransportation when the machine is notin use and when turning aroundupon the ice.

The traction-wheels are lifted from the ice to be supported by the mainframe by means of the operating-handle and compound levers connectedwith the slide-boxes A, as above described.

The traction-wheels are provided with spurs \V, which engage with theice and cause them to rotate when the frame is in motion.

Motion may be imparted to the frame by a horse hitched to thewhiftletree W", secured to the forward end of the frame, or in anywellknown manner. The main axle, to which the tractionwheels are fixed,supports centrally a frame, 13, pivoted thereon at or near its rear end.

The pivoted frame supports a train of gears and pinions adapted toengage with and be actuated by a driving gear-wheel, B fixed upon themain axle B, to which are fixed the traction-wheels. The pivoted frame13 also supports in suitable bearings at its forward end the rotaryshaft B, upon which is fixed a saw, B

The saw-shaft B" is provided with a pinion, B adapted to engage with andbe actuated by the above-n1entioned train of gear-wheels and pinions,said train of gears and pinions consisting of the pi uions B, fixed uponthe shaft 13 the gear-wheel B pinion B", gear B and pinion B.

The forward end of the frame B is provided with the eyebolts O, fixedthereon and adjust ably connected with the lever-arms O by means oflinks C", having the adjusting-holes C. The leverarn'is G are fixed uponthe shaft C, no tary in boxes C supported by uprights C bolted to themain frame. The shaft 0 is proi be raised or lowered to lift the sawfrom the ice or lower it to the depth to which it is desired to cut agroove in the ice.

WVhen the saw is forced to the limit of depression to cut the deepestgroove, the respective parts of the machine will occupy the respectivepositions shown in the several figures of the drawings, thecontrolling-lever C bearing against the shaft A, the shaft acting as astop to prevent the further depression of the saw. Should it be desiredto cut a deeper groove, it isonly necessary to connect the adjusting-links G with the arm 0 at one of the upper adjusting-holes, Gwhich permits the saw-supporting frame to be depressed to a lower plane.

To facilitate the operation of raising and depressing the saw-supportingframe, I provide a counterbalancing-weight, D, adjustable upon the armD, fixed upon the shaft 0 The frame B will be partially balanced by thedriver in occupying the seat S, mounted upon support S, secured to therear end of the frame by bolt S. I also provide upon each side of themachine guide-blades F, secured to a bar, F, extending longitudinally ofthe main frame, one at each end of the respective bars. Each end of thebars is secured to one end of the cross-bars F the other end of thecrossbars being pivoted to the central part of the main frame, or to ablock, F supported centlally of the frame by the braces F bolted to theframe, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. The bars F are connected by chains Fand rod F with the lever F, pivoted thereon at E the chains running overpulleys F secured to the main frame. The levers F are pivoted at F uponlugs secured to the main frame.

When it is desired to raise the guides from the ice, it is onlynecessary to throw the upper end of lever F back and down upon the mainframe, where it will be held by the tension upon the rods F, the pivot Foccupying a lower plane than the pivot F The operation of the machine isas follows: Therespectivepartsbeinginthepositionshown in the drawings,the machine isdrawn along over the ice in an approximately straightline, which gives a rotary movement to the saw, cutting a groove of therequired depth in the ice. After the groove has been cut of the re- Theoperatingquired length, the lever A is drawn back to lift thetraction-wheels from the ice, and the lever F thrown back and down uponthe main frame to lift the guide-blade F from the ice. The machine isthen turned around, riding upon the runners A in a position such thatwhen the guide-blades are dropped upon the ice by throwing up the leverF the blades upon one side of the machine will drop into the groove justcut. The traction-wheels are then dropped upon the ice by releasing thelever A, and the machine drawn back toward the startingpoint in adirection parallel to the groove last cut, being maintained at theproper distance from said groove by the guide-blades therein. When themachine is again turned at the end of the second groove to cut thethird. groove, the operation of lifting and dropping the wheels andguide-blades is repeated, the guide. blades which were idle in cuttingthe second groove being brought into use by following in the secondgroove to determine the position of the third groove, and so on untilthe required number of grooves has been out.

When desired, the main frame and runners may be dispensed with, and themachine, consisting of traction-whee1s,saw, connecting gearwheels, andframe, be drawn along by means of the latter frame.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an ice -harvesting machine, a main frame provided withsupporting-runners and upright slideways, in combination with tractiondrive wheels provided with bearingboxes adapted to slide in saidslideways and connected with a rotary icesaw by a train of gear-wheelsand pinions, the said wheels and frame being provided with a system oflevers for lifting the wheels from the ice and supporting them by theframe, substantially as described.

2. In an ice-harvesting machine having a main frame provided withsupporting-runners and supports for the bearing-boxes of tractiondrive-Wheels and a saw-supporting frame pivoted upon the axle of thetraction drive-wheels, and a system of adj usting-levers adj ustablyconnecting one end of the saw-supporting frame with the mainframe,acounterbalancingweight adjustable longitudinally of a supportingarm fixed upon said connecting mechanism and vibratory with the leversforming a part of said mechanism, substantially as described, and forthe purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day ofDecember, 1887.

WILLIAM L. SMYTH.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. MosHER, ORVIS GAMBELL.

